Trucks and automobiles typically have at least one side mounted mirror assembly that is secured to the outer skin of a door or cowl of the vehicle. Proper alignment and installation of the mirror assembly is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, particularly when installing mirror assemblies on vehicles along an assembly line or the like. After the side mirror assemblies are secured to the outer skin of the door or cowl, the mirror assemblies are sensitive to vibration of the outer skin during operation of the vehicle.
Some of the conventional vehicle side mirror assemblies are motorized units having a positioning motor coupled to a mirror of the assembly for adjustment of the mirror's position relative to the vehicle. Heaters are also incorporated in conventional mirror assemblies for heating and defrosting the mirror. During installation or replacement of the motorized and heated mirror assemblies, electric wiring connected to the vehicle's electrical system must be threaded through the outer skin of the vehicle's door or cowling and attached to the assembly before the mirror assembly is fastened in place. The installation process of connecting the wiring of the motor and the heater to the vehicle's electrical system and subsequently attaching the mirror assembly to the vehicle's outer skin is an additional time-consuming and labor-intensive process which adds to the overall cost of a vehicle being produced.